He eventually lost that role and for the longest time it looked like he would finish the season on injured reserve.

But in minor league basketball there is always room for a comeback and when the National Basketball League of Canada playoffs begin for the London Lightning on Monday, Williams will get a chance come all the way back.

Williams will return to the starting lineup Monday against whomever the Lightning play in a best-of-five semifinal series.

They’ll play the winner of the semifinal series between the Moncton Miracles and Saint John Mill Rats. The Miracles won the opening game of that best-of-three series with Game 2 Friday in Saint John.

The Lightning aren’t really focused on who they play. They are more worried about getting as well prepared as possible to repeat as NBL champions.

Getting there will be a lot easier if Williams is able to replicate his play from early in the season.

Williams’ athleticism made him a tough guy to stop inside. But as the season progressed, Lightning coach Micheal Ray Richardson grew frustrated with his defence and rebounding.

By the time Williams went on the disabled list the first time in mid-February and then again March 1 with a bad thumb, Richardson had him on a short leash.

But the Lightning tried all season to find a guy with Williams’ size who could play tough defence to help out guys like Tim Ellis and Elvin Mims but they never could.

So on the weekend the Lightning brought Williams off injured reserve after talking to him about what was expected of him.

“He just wants me to do the things that help us win the most . . . rebound and defence,” Williams said. “(I can) be a leader emotionally out there. I feel I’m a motor, a glue guy on this team. If I continue to do what I’ve been doing I’ll be fine.”

The Lightning have only lost seven games this year but in those losses and a number of other games, they were hurt when they couldn’t defend the three-point shot and penetrating guards.

It’s caused Richardson to consider making some changes to his starters. Those changes include giving Canadian guard Antwi Atuahene a start and bringing Marvin Phillips off the bench.

“We’re just making some adjustments,” Richardson said. “What I’m thinking is I get a good defender in ‘Twi, maybe get 10-points more (with Williams) and get a little more rest for Marvin Phillips and bring him off the bench.

“Wouldn’t it be something being able to bring someone like Marvin off the bench?”

It would except Phillips has been one of the Lightning’s most effective players in the second half of the season.

But it would mean whenever Richardson needed to go to the bench he would have Phillips, Rod Buford, Adrian Moss and Morgan Lewis. That’s a pretty good reinforcement unit.

But in order to make it all work, Richardson has to get minutes, points and defence from Williams.

“I just look at it as a new season,” Williams said. “It’s the playoffs. Everyone has a totally different mindset of what they want to do. Every team does. We learned about each other over the last couple of months. Everyone will be ready. It’s all about regrouping and doing what we did at the start of the season.”

Even though Williams hasn’t played competitively since mid-February, he says he’s in good shape, his spirits are high and his thumb feels fine.

He does admit it was hard for him to watch his team play and wonder about what the rest of the season would bring.

“It was definitely hard,” Williams said. “Over the past couple of months there’s been a lot of grieving because of this thumb. I wanted to play so badly. I felt like I was ready to play but the doctor said no. When the doctor says you can’t play and you are ready, that’s grieving.”

If Williams can perform to the same level he did early in the season it will prevent the Lightning from having to do some real grieving when the playoffs start.